Warning: Spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 5.
Darth Vader’s power in the dark side of the Force was showcased in an exciting Obi-Wan Kenobi scene, but the Star Wars franchise will never depict Vader’s true power in live-action. Darth Vader is not only one of the most important characters in the Star Wars saga, but he’s also one of its most powerful. In his Jedi identity as Anakin Skywalker, he was one of the Jedi Order’s finest warriors, and as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, he was perhaps second only to Palpatine himself in his dark side power. While the Star Wars franchise’s non-movie material has showcased his full power before, the live-action productions will only ever hint at it.
Anakin Skywalker was believed by many Jedi to be the prophesized “Chosen One,” a powerful Jedi who would destroy the Sith, therefore restoring the balance of the Force. While the prophecy is correct in its interpretation of balance and the intrinsically corrupting presence of the Sith, it may or may not have been right about Anakin. Some viewers feel Anakin is truly the Chosen One, as he did destroy the Sith by killing Palpatine in Return of the Jedi—despite having spent over two decades as a Sith Lord himself. Whether or not Anakin is the prophesized figure, his immense power in the Force, and later its dark side as Darth Vader, is made quite clear.
Darth Vader lost much of his body following his defeat on Mustafar, but his rage and the excruciating process of being rebuilt as a cyborg fueled his rebirth and supplemented his education as a Sith under Palpatine. Fittingly, as a Sith Lord, Darth Vader’s feats are more in the ways of manipulation, sorcery, and leadership in the original Star Wars trilogy and most Legends-era non-movie appearances. Canon non-movie material regularly shows a different side of Vader, depicting him as a far more brutal Sith Lord who unleashes his dark side power and cuts down foes with his lightsaber more readily. This was also the case in the Obi-Wan Kenobi episode “Part V,” which includes his most impressive dark side feats in a live-action production to date. Despite this, there are rather simple reasons why Darth Vader’s full potential will never be seen in live-action.
Star Wars Movies Have Never Fully Shown Vader’s True Power
Darth Vader rarely fights in the original Star Wars trilogy, with only one lightsaber duel per film showcasing his lethal fighting abilities. Furthermore, the action scenes are far tamer than the lightsaber battles of the prequel and sequel Star Wars trilogies, due to limits in special effects and budget. Vader’s battle with Obi-Wan in A New Hope is slow and cautious (owed in part to the fragile lightsaber props) and he was toying with Luke Skywalker for most of their The Empire Strikes Back duel. In Return of the Jedi, Luke and Vader’s duel is far more intense, but the internal struggles of both combatants are far more important than the fighting itself.
The closest film to showing off Darth Vader’s full power is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, whose ending sees a group of Rebel Troopers trapped in a hallway with Darth Vader, who mercilessly kills them as he searches for the Death Star plans. Not only are Darth Vader’s lightsaber skills shown in their most terrifying form yet, but he also effortlessly uses the dark side to levitate and strangle the heroic Rebel soldiers. Ultimately, however, the Rebels aren’t a challenge for Vader, as they’re ordinary beings, even with their military training and equipment.
Even Obi-Wan Kenobi Doesn’t Fully Show How Powerful Vader Is
While not a film, the live-action Obi-Wan Kenobi series shows even greater displays of Darth Vader’s powers than Rogue One. On Jabiim, Darth Vader stops an escaping transport in midair and brings it back down to the ground before effortlessly blasting open its hull, allowing another transport to escape with Obi-Wan and Leia. In his brief fight with the Third Sister, Darth Vader handily defeats the Inquisitor without drawing his own lightsaber, blocking her blows with the dark side and impaling her with her double-bladed weapon. As with Rogue One, the Obi-Wan Kenobi series only shows Darth Vader using his abilities against those who are far less powerful than he is. Darth Vader’s greatest feats remain in canon and Legends materials that aren’t live-action.
Darth Vader’s Most Powerful Acts Are In Other Star Wars Media
Darth Vader’s greatest displays of power are found in canon comics, such as Star Wars: Vader Down, which pits the Sith Lord against scores of Rebel troopers and Rebel tanks during the Battle of Vrogas Vas. Although the Rebels are no match for Vader on their own, their sheer numbers make his massacre an extremely impressive feat. Easily the greatest feat of Darth Vader, however, is in an issue of 2017’s Star Wars: Darth Vader comics, which has Vader using the dark side to breach the barrier between life and the afterlife, demonstrating the truly cosmic levels of power that Vader possesses.
In Legends, Darth Vader’s power is more understated. Remaining consistent with the Star Wars original trilogy films, the classic Marvel Star Wars comics had a far greater emphasis on Darth Vader’s ability to manipulate and outthink his enemies. Darth Vader used the dark side in more deceptive ways (in addition to using lethal Force chokes on incompetent underlings), such as projecting an illusion of himself onto Orman Tagge, deceiving Luke Skywalker into thinking he’d out-dueled the Sith Lord. The few times that Darth Vader drew his lightsaber was meaningful and threatening moments for the heroes.
Why Live-Action Star Wars Won’t Show Exactly How Powerful Vader Is
There are two reasons why Darth Vader cannot be shown using his full dark side potential in a live-action production. The first is that Darth Vader’s almost God-like power could easily become too robust to depict onscreen, even with the vast monetary resources of Disney and Lucasfilm. Another reason is that Darth Vader could easily appear overpowered, which could just as easily create too jarring of a discrepancy between the way he’s depicted in the films and modern spinoff material. While the Obi-Wan Kenobi series has the most powerful live-action depiction of Darth Vader yet, viewers shouldn’t expect to see him open the doors to the afterlife any time soon.
New episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi release Wednesdays on Disney+.
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